Open Letter to: Employees of the Rubin Museum of Art Directors of the Rubin Museum of Art Donors of the Rubin Museum of Art Patrons of the Rubin Museum of Art 150 West 17th Street New York, NY 10011 August 30, 2011 Dear Sirs: This letter is to implore you to pray for the Rubin Museum of Art’s Employee Shoteki Chris Phelan. About 30 Years ago, Zen master Eido Shimano Roshi with donations from Chester and Doris Carlson and the Xerox company, was able to establish two places for Zen practice, Dai Bosatsu Zendo Monastery in the Catskills and Shobo-ji in Manhattan, together housed under the Zen Studies Society. Thereafter most important donations were from various Japanese companies and individuals with also a great amount of time, energy and money from Western Zen students. Those donations were made with the express purpose of helping Eido Shimano Roshi in his teaching, his Dharma mission, establishing an international Zendo, a zen temple. Last year, for the second time, Eido Roshi was the object of a sexual scandal with students complaining about alleged sexual affairs they willingly engaged in. Let me say, that I do not consider myself worthy of examining the behavior of a living Buddha. I guess being practical one might wander what the scandal is about, considering The Buddha teaches that students must examine teachers for 30 years before becoming their students The Zen master is not a guru, Zen is a true revolution where the student remains in charge at all times The heroes of our practice are in constant physical battle with their teacher, so there is no scarcity of models on how to disagree with your teacher These alleged affairs, should they be true, most probably are Zen teaching. In addition, being from the realm of “The Tale of Genji”, for Eido Roshi, it could be said, having a cup of tea with someone is a more intimate affair than engaging in sexual congress, International students may judge the rumors and leave or stay This is the 2nd scandal so… The 7 members of board of directors, of which Mr. Phelan is a member have decided and enforced that should Eido Shimano Roshi teach again in America and abroad, he would become homeless and destitute, not receiving his pension or enjoying the benefit of the housing given to him by Mr. and Mrs. Chester Carlson. The opposite of the purpose of the gifts given the Zen Studies Society. The board members responsible are: Soun Joe Dowling – President Shoteki Chris Phelan – Vice President Shinge Roko Sherry Chayat Roshi Genjo Marinello Zenshin Richard Rubin Jikyo Bonnie Shoultz Shinkon Peter Glynn Although, I can’t encourage you to donate to Mr. Phelan's cause, please investigate for yourself, it does seem that it is willing sexual touching that has fallen out of favor with him. Please pray for Mr. Phelan, Please pray that he has faith in the Dharma to believe that if the Dharma approves it will send him moneys to start his brand of puritan Buddhism. to have courage, not to have to hide to change the keys of the zendo to bar the founder access to that which he has founded. to have faith and wisdom to know Dharma will support him if his efforts are pure and worthy. To know that there is no need to hijack, however legally, a $25 million dollar organization from its aim, namely helping someone else, Eido Shimano Roshi, teach Zen. so that Mr. Phelan has the faith to meditate until Dharma sends him his own funds Thank you for your time and may Dharma bless you, May Shakyamuni Buddha bless you, May your God bless you With gratitude, Hoen Hoen Sandra Jean-Pierre Rinzai Zen Student for more information: The Zen Studies Society Please feel free to post, distribute and share